Explosive Blaze Offense Goes Head-to-Head with Tough Command Defense
May 29, 2012 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Utah Blaze News Release
SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Blaze (6-5) returns to the road this week seeking to end a three-game skid against the Kansas City Command (2-8) on Saturday, June 2nd. Kickoff from the Sprint Center is scheduled for 7:00 PM CDT.
Utah will look to rebound after suffering a tough 64-61 loss at home to the San Antonio Talons last Saturday night. The Blaze is still listed at six in the Arena Football League Power Rankings. After beginning the season with eight consecutive losses, Kansas City has won its last two contests, including a 39-27 victory over the Georgia Force this past weekend.
It will be strength-against-strength this weekend when the Blaze offense meets the Command defense. Despite a less than stellar record, Kansas City boasts one of the toughest defensive units in the League. The Command owns the Arena Football League's fourth-ranked scoring defense, surrendering 50.5 points per game. The unit has been especially effective against opponent's passing attack, allowing just 245.4 aerial yards per contest to place third in the AFL.
The Blaze will head into battle with the League's best passing offense. With QB Tommy Grady at the helm, Utah has posted 323.0 passing yards per game to rank first in the AFL. Grady continues to pace all Arena Football passers in total offensive yards (3,674) and touchdowns (92). The 6-7 signal caller has an array of weapons at his disposal led by WR Aaron Lesue, who ranks first in the AFL in touchdown catches (41) and second in receptions (104). If Utah can find a way to cut down on penalties and turnovers, the Blaze will once again have the opportunity to light up the scoreboard.
"We have a high-powered offense and when we play efficiently, we can be one of the best in the league," said President & Head Coach Ron James. "We need to remain focused on improving week-to-week and avoid turning the ball over. As long as we do that, we will be right in the thick of things this season."
Utah has faced its fair share of difficulties on defense, but has begun to turn the corner under new Defensive Coordinator Rob Keefe. The unit posted two stops against San Antonio last week by forcing the Talons to turn the ball over on downs in the first quarter and recovering a fumble early in the fourth. The Blaze will look to stifle a struggling Kansas City offense that ranks last in the AFL in scoring (37.1 ppg) and total offense (245.5 ypg).
"We should have an interesting matchup this week," said James. "Kansas City has been much improved on offense as of late and our defense has taken some solid steps in improvement over the past week."
Often overlooked but equally crucial is the special teams unit. Utah was phenomenal on kickoffs last weekend against San Antonio, as kicker Kyle Brotzman managed to bounce two balls off the crossbars that were recovered by the Blaze. He also booted a perfect onside kick that gave Utah an extra possession near the end of the first half. Additionally, WR Shaun Kauleinamoku provided a spark in the return game and consistently put the offense in great position, as he averaged over 29 yards per kickoff on seven returns.
"Special teams are your 'X' factor in the AFL. We have a talented kicker and our kickoff and kick return units can be extremely important facets of our game plan every week. We must gain consistency in the kicking game to be considered one of the better teams in the league."
At times, Utah has shown strong single-game performances in every facet of the game. However, the offense, defense and special teams have rarely clicked at the same time. If the Blaze can find a way to put it all together this week and put forth a complete performance, it will go a long way in setting the tone as the team looks to put together a run towards the postseason.
The Utah Blaze vs. the Kansas City Command will air on KMYU (Dish/DirecTV channel 12, Comcast channel 22) beginning at 6:00 PM MT, with Mychal Clanton (play-by-play), Kevin White (color commentary) and calling all the non-stop action.
You can also view the game online through the Arena Football League's exclusive partnership with Ustream, the leader in live and interactive video streaming. Visit www.UTBlaze.com/LIVE to stream the game live and at no cost! Game coverage can be heard in the Salt Lake City area on The Zone 1280 AM/97.5 FM, the radio home of the Utah Blaze.
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